Early orthodontic treatment is crucial to preventing more serious problems later in life and gives your child the best opportunity for a healthy smile. If you recognize any of these signs in your child or yourself, it might be time to schedule a consultation to determine if braces could help.
Braces could be the solution with any of these signs:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Mouth breathing
- Sucking the thumb or fingers, or other oral habits
- Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
- Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or are recessed
- Speech difficulty
- Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
- Protruding teeth
- Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all
- Facial imbalance or asymmetry (features out of proportion to the rest of the face)
- Grinding or clenching of teeth
- Inability to comfortably close lips
Source: American Association of Orthodontists (www.braces.org)
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends children get a check-up with an orthodontic specialist no later than age seven. Local professionals offer treatment options for children and adults of any age. A referral from your regular dentist is not necessary to receive an orthodontic evaluation. It is never too late to seek help in achieving a great smile.